General Search Engine Statistics

75% of people never scroll past the first page of search results (HubSpot)

70-80% of users ignore paid ads and organic links get 70% of all clicks (Imforza)

Search engines are the #1 driver of site visits, 300% more than social media (Search Engine Land).

Up to 90.6% of web searches happen on Google as of October 2018. The exact numbers vary from source to source, but what’s clear is that Google is dominating and growing (SparkToro).

60% of users click on one of the top three search results (Search Engine Journal)

50% of searches are long-tail keywords – four words or longer (Word Stream)

89% of online purchasers used SERPs to make their decision (Dezzain)

Google receives over 63,000 searches per second on any given day (Internet Live Stats).

Google implements over 500 changes to its algorithm every year (HD Web Pros).

As you can see from these stats, search engines are still the preferred way for people to find what they’re looking for. As a digital marketer, it’s also abundantly clear that you need to aim for the first page of results to get anywhere and that the higher you can go, the better.

With that in mind, let’s see what the numbers have to say when it comes to mobile, local, and content marketing SEO to get the most out of Google, and other search engines.

Google CTR Statistics

The first SERP entry gets more than 20% of clicks while the top three get almost 50% of all clicks on the first page (Ignite Visibility).

The #1 organic result is 10x more likely to receive a click compared to a page in #10 spot. (Backlinko)

The numbers clearly show how big the mobile market is, and that it’s set to potentially dominate time spent online in the future. However, it also shows that special measures need to be taken to accommodate mobile users.

The physical limitations of smaller screen sizes and the fast-paced context in which they are used demand special consideration. Businesses need to make sure their SERP results are up to date with a Google Maps location and click-to-call.

Local SEO Statistics

46% of Google searches are local (HubSpot).

72% of consumers who did a local search on a smartphone visited a store within 5 miles while 66% using computers did (Think With Google).

Search engines account for 88% of smartphones and 84% of computer/tablet local searches (Think With Google).

82% of smartphone shoppers did a ‘near me’ search. Unsurprisingly, food leads the way with 84% of ‘near me’ searchers making a purchase (Search Engine Land).

18% of local mobile searches lead to a sale within a day while only 77% of non-local searches do (Business 2 Community).

50% of consumers that did a local search visited a store within a day while 34% of those using a computer did the same (Think With Google).

61% of smartphone users are more likely to contact a business if the content is catered to their location (Think With Google).

92% of consumers will pick a business on the first page of local search results Search Engine Watch).

Clearly, consumers that search for businesses locally have a strong intent to buy. That makes this a critical juncture for local businesses to win over and convert them. The key factor seems to be making the user journey as smooth as possible.

That means making sure all your Google search result info is correct and up to date so they can contact or find your business as soon and as easily as possible. It also means catering content according to the individual’s location.

Site Speed SEO Statistics

The average load speed for top ranking sites is 1.9s (99 Firms)

53% of users will leave the page if it takes more than 3 seconds to load (Marketing Dive).

Content Marketing SEO Statistics

Now that we know why SEO is so important, it’s time to look at why content marketing is the most effective way to take advantage of it.

73% of respondents have less time to do research and read between 3 and 7 pieces of content before speaking to a salesperson. (DemandGen)

The average content length for the first page of SERP results is 1,890 words (Backlinko).

According to a content marketing study by Kapost and Eloqua, content marketing costs 31% less than paid search (Oracle).

Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram’s user base are growing significantly and nearly all major social platforms have over 1 billion users (Dustin Stout).

There are more than 3.5 billion social media users and the average American has 7.1 social media accounts (Small Biz Genius).

What you may find surprising is that long-form content performs so well on search engines. This is partly due to the fact that you can rank for multiple search terms or maximize a specific one. However, it also shows Google’s commitment to promoting in-depth and valuable content.

Research also suggests people are increasingly ignoring paid ads. As it’s both cheaper and more effective, content marketing seems to be the most budget-efficient digital marketing tool. Moreover, there are so many ways to be one of the best players on the field within a digital marketing framework with a low budget. While your own blog should be your prime focus, social media is not to be ignored. It’s also worth noting that visual content will become more important for engagement in the future.

The Verdict

The results are in, and content marketing is an incredibly effective technique to improve your SEO. The more content you have, the higher the chance Google can index something relevant to future user searches. Just as importantly, your content can be used to shape consumer’s perception of your brand.